David Cassidy died penniless after squandering his Partridge Family fortune

David Cassidy earned and lost a fortune during his career as a pop superstar. Known for his hits I Think I Love You and Cherish, the singer was arguably the most famous teen idol of the 1970s.

By his mid-twenties he was earning an impressive $1m a year, thanks to extensive international touring and his starring role on The Partridge Family. By the time he died, however, he was virtually penniless with estimated debts of $10m.

Despite selling over 25 million records during his years of global fame, Cassidy flirted with financial ruin twice in his lifetime. The performer blamed his squandered wealth on poorly drafted contracts and unscrupulous business associates who profited on the back of his talent.

"I was one of the wealthiest young male entertainers in the world then, but 10 years later I had nothing to show for it. By the 1980s I was broke and had to rebuild my life," he said in an interview with The Telegraph.

Losing money during the dotcom boom also posed a major financial challenge for the singer and his diagnosis of dementia, a condition which mother also suffered from, meant he was forced to cut back on music and touring.

Following divorce from his wife of 27 years, Sue Shirkin, Cassidy filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2015. The proceedings forced him to sell his six-bedroom waterfront home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, which he bought for $1.1m when he moved to the state from LA in 2002.

"This home has been a place of refuge for me during some personally challenging times," Cassidy said. "I cherished the hours I spent working in the garden, which helped me relax and unwind. I look forward to what life will bring in the coming years."